DU students stage plays on corruption

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Fighting for one’s right has become the buzzword. Movements by biggies like Anna Hazare against corruption and Rahul Gandhi’s upfront approach on land acquisition in UP has won young hearts. Delhi University college students, who are active in theatre, stimulated by the recent happenings in the country, are planning plays that send across a strong message of change.
While the brainstorming is still on for finalising the one best play that can do justice to the topic, one thing the theatre groups across DU colleges are sure of is that they have to highlight social issues with their performances. “It’s the best way to spread a message atleast across the students’ community, if not all,” says Yukti Thakur, a member of the theatre group of Dyal Singh College.
The students have taken a cue from the many awareness and social issues taken up in the last few months. The ongoing protest against corruption by Anna Hazare has been a big influence. “It isn’t that we always choose irrelevant topics but this time the themes have become more social,” says Sherine Elizabeth, president, theatre group, Jesus and Mary College. Last year, they performed a play on oppression of men. “We always think about feminine issues but men also face problems and thus we chose this topic. This time, we want to bring those people in the limelight who are trying to bring a change in the society in their capacity but have not got any accolades for it. Another topic would be to bring in light the efforts a handicapped person to lead a respectable life,” says Sherine.
Some colleges have chosen topics that are not only socially relevant but of interest to the students community as well. Umang Sabharwal from Kamala Nehru College, who has recently been in the limelight for organising the Delhi Slutwalk and is the acting convener of her college’s theatre group, says, “Since our audience is usually the college crowd (as we perform at the college fests), we have devised a play that addresses a social cause and is also very youth-centric. Our play would send across a message to the youth to deal with certain difficult situations.”
For some positivity is the keyword. Some have devised scripts on how the engagement of youth in various protests and causes have led to tremendous change in the mindset of the people. Yama Seth, general secretary, Lady Shri Ram College, says their play would feature the socially charged youth. “We are playing a major role in changing the society. It’s important to involve more people in such initiatives and plays can send across the message in the most apt way,” she says.
And some like the Atma Ram Sanatam Dharm College (ARSD), which has already performed plays on the 2G scam and other corruption-related issues last year, are looking for a change this time. “We plan to do something more refreshing, may be on the recent Mumbai blasts or on the fight against land acquisition in UP,” says Varun Sharma, president, drama society, ARSD and adds that they are still in the process of finalising the play.